Safe Driving and Years of Service Awards Gone!

[Catatonic]

Great post, Red.
This is the way I approach management, when they are wrong.
On a side note;
Your post reminded me of Perseus in Greek mythology.
Mirror polished bronze shield,to reflect Medusa's image onto herself, and the curved adamantine sword cleaving her head from her shoulders.
I think the analogy applies.

I think Dilbert is more appropriate...they're not evil, just inept.

Pointed-hair Manager: Can you show me why this project is off schedule and over cost?
Dilbert: It depends on whether your image reflects in a mirror.

 

[pretzel_man]

Lets see how much money will be giving by the


You have ups, and fed ex, there no more dhl. Competition is tougher, trying to deliver all the packages before running out of hours is tougher.

I strongly suggest logging into UPSers.COM and read Casey speeches from previous management conferences. There's a lot to learn there.

In the past, our competition was the post office. We were the new kid on the block. Our service was better and prices lower. We were growing, so mistakes were hidden by our growth.

This growth led to our arrogance. We did NOT react when RPS started taking away our ground volume. Then FedEx took over RPS and became a true competitor.

We are no longer the growing, cheaper company we were before. We can't compete on cost. A FedEx ground driver costs between 50% to 60% of what a UPS driver costs.

So, competition is much, much different today than when I started.

Its time to understand that. Its time to understand that UPS is NOT the enemy. Its the competition that we need to go after.

Every package that goes to FedEx goes to a non union worforce. Believe it or not, like it or not, packages for UPS means union jobs.

P-Man

 

[pretzel_man]

This company is not losing money. It is still very profitable. It is still well positioned within the marketplace. It's the marketplace that is suffering. UPS is more interested in satisfying stock holders than its employees. Opening the stock to the general public is the worse thing this company has ever done. It is no longer good enough to be profitable. A company has to ever improve upon its previous year or the stock suffers. Had our stock not gone public we would have been better equipped to weather this storm. I am fortunate to be 20 plus years vested in this company. Luck has nothing to do with my continued employement with UPS. When the economy turns around UPS will follow suit. Till then both sides of workforce will be affected, both white and blue collar. The pecking order will be the only difference.

First, again I am NOT a fan of UPS being public. I think it has shown to be a bad long term decision. First, it was bad for the culture, then it was bad for our younger people, now it is bad for the stock price.

That being said, its not true that we would not care about growth if we were private.

The need to grow has been part of our culture from the beginning. From expansion beyond Seattle, to common carriage, to 48 state expansion, to International, to Supply Chain Solutions. All that happened as a private company.

Casey said:
"An expanding business is the only way to provide opportunities for our people. "

"Our company has grown because our people have grown, and our people have grown because our company has grown. And so it will be in the future..."

So, the need to grow profits is not the issue because we are public. I think if we were private we would still know we needed to grow, but the target would a couple of years from not instead of next quarter.

P-Man

 

[JimJimmyJames]

In regards to Jim Casey, it is my understanding that he never married or had children. I wonder if he at least had a girlfirend. If he didn't than maybe he was a homosexual who was in denial over his sexuality and therefore channeled all of this unspent energy into his work to the point of obsession.

Maybe, he was simply asexual. Maybe that's why UPS wants us to be robots.

In any case, I don't trust people who do not exhibit at least a hint of sexuality of some sort. Heck, I don't understand why one would be attracted to the same sex but I do understand a person at least having a sex drive.

This is one of the reasons I gave up on Catholicism. I cannot wrap my head around the fact that anybody would give up sex for any reason that is not beyond their control.

 

[705red]

I strongly suggest logging into UPSers.COM and read Casey speeches from previous management conferences. There's a lot to learn there.

In the past, our competition was the post office. We were the new kid on the block. Our service was better and prices lower. We were growing, so mistakes were hidden by our growth.

This growth led to our arrogance. We did NOT react when RPS started taking away our ground volume. Then FedEx took over RPS and became a true competitor.

We are no longer the growing, cheaper company we were before. We can't compete on cost. A FedEx ground driver costs between 50% to 60% of what a UPS driver costs.

So, competition is much, much different today than when I started.

Its time to understand that. Its time to understand that UPS is NOT the enemy. Its the competition that we need to go after.

Every package that goes to FedEx goes to a non union worforce. Believe it or not, like it or not, packages for UPS means union jobs.

P-Man

Pman, we as hourly employees are treated like the enemy! Its the drivers fault if the belts broke, for having misloads for not being able to do 15 hours of work under 9.5.

I enjoy reading Casey's speeches, i think its time that management get back in line on how this company was founded! Its one thing to read great speeches its another to practice living up to them!

 

[Catatonic]

In regards to Jim Casey, it is my understanding that he never married or had children. I wonder if he at least had a girlfirend. If he didn't than maybe he was a homosexual who was in denial over his sexuality ...

I understand he was always trying to decide on whether to br called Jim, Jimmy or James. I wonder if there is a relationship there?

 

[wornoutupser]

I strongly suggest logging into UPSers.COM and read Casey speeches from previous management conferences. There's a lot to learn there.

In the past, our competition was the post office. We were the new kid on the block. Our service was better and prices lower. We were growing, so mistakes were hidden by our growth.

This growth led to our arrogance. We did NOT react when RPS started taking away our ground volume. Then FedEx took over RPS and became a true competitor.

We are no longer the growing, cheaper company we were before. We can't compete on cost. A FedEx ground driver costs between 50% to 60% of what a UPS driver costs.

So, competition is much, much different today than when I started.

Its time to understand that. Its time to understand that UPS is NOT the enemy. Its the competition that we need to go after.

Every package that goes to FedEx goes to a non union worforce. Believe it or not, like it or not, packages for UPS means union jobs.

P-Man

P-Man,
Please do not take this as a personal attack, but what does a UPS manager cost compared to a Fed Ex manager??:??

 

[Catatonic]

P-Man,
Please do not take this as a personal attack, but what does a UPS manager cost compared to a Fed Ex manager??:??

A FedEx manager costs between 70% to 80% of what a UPS manager costs.

 

[pretzel_man]

P-Man,
Please do not take this as a personal attack, but what does a UPS manager cost compared to a Fed Ex manager??:??

I honestly do not know. I'd be interested in the answer.

I know a few people that left UPS to go to FedEx, and they told me the pay was comparable. I do not really know the specifics however.

I didn't take it as a personal attack. Thank you for the clarification though.

P-Man

 

[New Englander]

I ordered mine but we will see if it ever comes!

 

[Hangingon]

I just got my 18 year safe driving award, waiting on my 25 year service one. I put the orders in on Monday since I had a certificate number for both and they went through without a problem.

 

[brownmonster]

This growth led to our arrogance. We did NOT react when RPS started taking away our ground volume. Then FedEx took over RPS and became a true competitor.


Thank you, that's the first time I've heard a mgmnt person admit the obvious.

 

[browniehound]

P-Man,
Thanks for the post it was most imformative as usual. I'm with you and UPS 100% in wanting to get every package on OUR trucks. I think in these times, more than ever, that every employee understands we are on the same team (teamsters and management).

More packages=more jobs for everyone. Its just that simple.

I'm thinking of something that would be a wind-fall for UPS and the Teamsters but it may be a pipe dream. If the Teamsters could ever organize Fed-Ex things would get much better very fast!

It would level the playing field in costs for UPS and secure the Teamster's pension funds immediately.

Think about it! If Fed-Ex had to play by union rules and wages, UPS would blow them out of the water in every phase of the business. We could offer much better prices right off the bat. When you add to that superior service and more service options, most people would choose UPS.

If you add to that the already great efficiency that exists on most UPS routes and Fed-Ex wouldn't stand a chance. Especially if EDD/PAS was implemented perfectly.

If we could get it 95% right, UPS would be on another level. Trucks loaded stop for stop in a loop that is traced in the most efficent way for EVERY driver. This is the way it should be, now more than ever.

If I were a business manager for UPS and was looking to save money, I would start here. Times are very tough and its even tougher to find areas where I could save a buck. I would personally look at every route with a magnifying glass. I would study them all and how each driver runs it. I would then interview each driver to get THEIR opinion on what changes could make THEM more efficient.

After I did this, I would fire my dispatch sup. because he has no clue. All he wants to do is put the right amount of stops on each car. Problem with that is, he has 4 drivers driving on the same street to do 4 stops each. If I was paying for the gas (I'm guessing the center manager does and not the DS) I would have 1 driver do all 16 stops. This area is about .25 mile stretch and he has 4 drivers going there?

Let's look at our operation. There are millions to be saved if we really looked at PAS/EDD and took the time to make it PERFECT. UPS would be the last ones standing if they made the effort!

I've been on EDD for almost 1/2 of a decade and there are still areas that are traced entirely out of order. Shouldn't now be the time to go back and make every route traced stop-for-stop?

Sorry for the rant. I got carried away as one thought led to another.

 

[backinbrown]

P-Man,
Thanks for the post it was most imformative as usual. I'm with you and UPS 100% in wanting to get every package on OUR trucks. I think in these times, more than ever, that every employee understands we are on the same team (teamsters and management).

More packages=more jobs for everyone. Its just that simple.

I'm thinking of something that would be a wind-fall for UPS and the Teamsters but it may be a pipe dream. If the Teamsters could ever organize Fed-Ex things would get much better very fast!

It would level the playing field in costs for UPS and secure the Teamster's pension funds immediately.

nice post

Think about it! If Fed-Ex had to play by union rules and wages, UPS would blow them out of the water in every phase of the business. We could offer much better prices right off the bat. When you add to that superior service and more service options, most people would choose UPS.

If you add to that the already great efficiency that exist on most UPS routes and Fed-Ex wouldn't stand a chance. Especially if EDD/PAS was implemented perfectly.

If we could get it 95% right, UPS would be on another plane. Trucks loaded stop for stop in a loop that is traced in the most efficent way for EVERY driver.

If I were a business manager for UPS and was looking to save money, I would start here. Times are very tough and its even tougher to find areas where I could save a buck. I would personally look at every route with a magnifying glass. I would study them all and how each driver runs it. I would then interview each driver to get THEIR opinion on what changes could make THEM more efficient.

After I did this, I would fire my dispatch sup. because he has no clue. All he wants to do is put the right amount of stops on each car. Problem with that is, he has 4 drivers driving on the same street to do 4 stops each. If I was paying for the gas (I'm guessing the center manager does and not the DS) I would have 1 driver do all 16 stops. This area is less than .25 square miles and he has 4 drivers going there?

Let's look at our operation. There are millions to be saved if we really looked at PAS/EDD and took the time to make it PERFECT. UPS would be the last ones standing if they made the effort!

I've been on EDD for almost 1/2 of a decade and there are still areas that are traced entirely out of order. Shouldn't now be the time to go back and make every route traced stop-for-stop?

Sorry for the rant. I got carried away as one thought led to another.

 

[Sammie]

Well, it's official around here. Circle of Honor gone. Safe driving
awards gone. Years of service awards gone. Compensation for
turning in driver leads gone.

Wash tunnels open Tuesdays and Thursdays only from now on.
M-W-T, two buckets of soapy water and two squeegeys on 3 foot poles. Those will go far in cleaning 12' feeder vehicles...

 

[satellitedriver]

A FedEx ground driver costs between 50% to 60% of what a UPS driver costs.

It is late and I should have a calculator, to compare the numbers.
The FedEx ground driver, in my area, does 30% of the volume that I do on my route.
The FedEx Air driver does 15% of the volume that I do on my route.
2 cars to run 45% of what I do daily.
Hmmmm?
2 drivers costs FedEx 50% less, per driver.
Isn't that 100% of my cost?
(Not to mention the cost of running 2 cars, instead of one)
Yet, I still produce 55% more than they do.

 

[soberups]

About 5 or 6 years ago, I remember a District Manager giving a speech at our PCM about how "5 years from now, a lot of you will be lucky to even have jobs because DHL is moving aggresively to undercut us with their non-union price advantage, and they will be able to take away a significant portion of our delivery volume."

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

... Compensation for
turning in driver leads gone...

This is a new development as I had heard about the safe driver and years of service programs but not this. Are you sure about this? I have 3 active sales leads and will be very upset if what you say is true. What incentive would there be for anyone to turn in sales leads?

 

[Catatonic]

... Compensation for
turning in driver leads gone...

This is a new development as I had heard about the safe driver and years of service programs but not this. Are you sure about this? I have 3 active sales leads and will be very upset if what you say is true. What incentive would there be for anyone to turn in sales leads?

The memo specifically stated that the awards program for Sales Leads would stay intact. I think sammie got a little carried away.

 

[over9five]

What incentive would there be for anyone to turn in sales leads?

Growing the company.
Creating jobs.
Saving jobs.